ANKARA, March 20 (Reuters) - Construction on Turkey's first nuclear power plant will begin in 2018, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, adding that the plant's inauguration would be held "very soon" with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Earlier this month, sources said the $20 billion project was likely to miss its 2023 target start-up date as Russian builder Rosatom struggled to find local partners.

Erdogan was speaking at an energy ceremony in Ankara. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Ece Toksabay Editing by David Dolan)